


Not So Casual

by jhunieilarde



Category: The Order (TV 2019)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/M, Fluff and Angst
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-03
Updated: 2021-03-09
Packaged: 2021-03-14 10:00:09
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 11
Words: 22,325
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29169213
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jhunieilarde/pseuds/jhunieilarde
Summary: Vera was not looking for a relationship when she met Hamish but he continues to break down her walls, like a super storm coming her way she's powerless to stop...(in which the Knights do not exist so Hamish is not a werewolf...)
Relationships: Hamish Duke/Vera Stone
Comments: 41
Kudos: 62





	1. Five Times

**Author's Note:**

> i am starting another one again...i must be going crazy but hey, the more, the merrier...

NEW YORK CITY

Vera had a stressful week. Well, scratch that. It’s been a stressful month…year…life! Running two organizations at the same time is not as easy as it looks especially when one of those is a secret one with irresponsible and arrogant members.

That’s right. Her source of problem this week is a couple of new recruits who thought it would be great to use magic to pass their exams and ended up blowing up their classrooms. Vera had to think hard how to maneuver it without getting bad press for the school and losing enrollees. In short, it’s hell for her, not to mention the amount of phone calls she attended to calming the parents.

When the convention came her way, she immediately jumped at the chance. She needs to get away or she will strangle those kids with her own hands if she stays another day at the temple. She needs to cool off, to unwind, so she can compose and gather herself.

She specifically chose a very expensive hotel for the three days she’s in the city to maximize her vacation. She had turned off her phone to spare herself from listening to Kepler rumbling about rules and disciplining the disciples. On her first night at the hotel, she put on a nice dress and went down the bar to treat herself with tasty drink. The kids at the temple only know how to pour liquids from bottle to glass but don’t know the art of liquor at all. She does not expect them to. Otherwise, that would be alarming, right? They’re still students after all to be so well-versed with mixology.

She’s enjoying her time so far. Attending the convention was her best decision in so long. It must have been an hour since she sat by the bar when she felt someone occupied the seat next to her.

“You know your drink”, he complimented.

She smirked a little but did not look at the man next to her.

“Did you expect anything else?” she asked.

“I don’t expect anything. I’ll take what I can get”, he answered.

That made her looked back at him. She was greeted by intense pair of blue eyes and the effect was instantaneous.

“…and that would mean you expect to get something”, she concluded.

He smiled and she felt herself smiling as well.

“That would depend entirely up to you. I only want your company. If that’s okay?” he expressed.

Charming and a gentleman…she’s intrigued.

“That would be okay”, she replied.

As it turns out, he’s attending a different convention in the city. He proved himself to be an intelligent person with multiple degrees under his belt. In fact, they had a lot of common and interest.

“What about you?” he asked.

“What about me?” she is aware that her body language has turned into flirting mode.

That happens after few glasses in her system.

“I told you a lot of things about me and I don’t know a single thing about you”, he pointed out.

That’s true. She made him talk a lot and she listened and commented.

“I don’t want to dwell so much on the age gap. I run a school”, she shared.

“Don’t worry so much about that. You’re the most gorgeous woman I ever laid my eyes on and now, you run a school…keep surprising me”, he responded.

Vera rolled her eyes on him.

“Does that line work with everyone you meet in a bar?” she asked.

“I don’t say that line with everyone I meet in a bar…until now”, he answered.

Oh boy…this guy is sucking all the air out of her lungs.

“Uhmm…I got a convention to attend to early in the morning so I should head up”, he did not say a thing but nodded in respect, “Would you like to come up with me?” she invited.

\------------------------------------

“What kind of school you’re running? They pay for your accommodation really well”, he said first when they got in her room.

Vera locked the door carefully before silently casting a silencing spell throughout the room.

“They do pay well but this room came out of my pocket”, she replied.

She put her purse on the desk. He came up behind her and helped her with her coat. She watched him as he gently hangs it before he removed his own coat. Vera couldn’t help but go to him and touched his shoulders. She heard him chuckle.

“What is it?” she asked.

He turned around to face her.

“Nothing. It’s just I first saw you when I came into the bar earlier and I watched you for a whole hour, just admiring you from the distance, and now I cannot believe I am here in the same room as you”, he confessed.

That put a smile on her face as she cupped his face.

“Well, I am here and you’re here. Let’s not waste any time, shall we?” she replied.

The man smiled back and pressed his lips onto hers.

Vera almost melted in his arms. The man is good. It started soft and gentle until they became hungry for each other. He pinned her against the wall and pressed his thigh on her throbbing center and the moan kept coming out of her mouth. He proceeded to attacking her neck as she buried her fingers into his hair. His strong hands went down her ass and gave it a tight squeeze, almost lifting her. Her hips kept grinding his thigh as she chased that friction. He encouraged her as he rocked her by pushing and pulling her hips.

“God…” she whimpered.

“Tell me how you want it?” he asked.

In her years of flings, no one ever bothered asking her how she wants things to go. They all seemed to be more concern of their own satisfactions than hers. She met his lustful eyes.

“I want you to make me forget everything. Fuck me hard”, she answered.

He sucked that sweet spot on her neck with a growl before picking her up and throwing her on the bed that she yelped. He quickly removed his shirt and pants, leaving him only in his boxers. His desire for her evident on his very hard member. He then moved to removing her clothes down to her underwear. Now, she’s all bare for him to see and devour.

He got her closing her eyes as he tasted every single inch of her from head to toe. When he settled on her center, she arched her back as she gripped the sheets.

“Yes…right there! Fuck, you’re good!” she cried.

The man is really good. She held his head down there as he keeps on eating the hell out of her. She can feel her getting close to her undoing and he knows it too. He pressed his thumb on her clit and lapped her hard and she fell apart.

“God! Oh…” she moaned as he kept on going, helping her ride it out.

She couldn’t believe she came on his mouth alone.

“You still okay?” he asked.

“I think I am better than okay”, she answered while catching her breath.

“Good, I’m not done with you just yet”, she frowned at him, “I intend to make you come at least four times tonight”, her eyes grew wide.

Did he say four times? No, he said at least four times.

That’s when she felt him thrusted two fingers into her which had her rolling her eyes at the back of her head.

“I wanna see you come this time”, he said as he watched her get flooded with pleasure from his ministrations.

His fingers found her g-spot and she gasped when he stroke it again and again. It did not take long for her to be rocked by the second wave of her orgasm. She’s flushed all over and it’s making him want to fuck her right then and there, but he has a mission. He waited for her to open her eyes before he made a show of him licking his fingers clean off of her juices.

“Jesus…” she breathed out at the sight.

Before she knew it, his down on her again eating her, sucking her juices and fucking her with his tongue. She’s over sensitized and she tried to push his head but he did not budge. Instead, it made him go for it harder. Casting that silencing spell was the right choice because she’s louder than she normally allowed herself to be. When she came for the third time, all the curses and swear words came out of her mouth.

He finally allowed her to breathe but not for long. He flipped her around, having her be on all fours. She knows what is coming but she’s not prepared to accommodate his size. In one swift thrust, he filled her up completely. They both moaned at the contact.

“God, you’re so tight. It feels so fucking good”, he expressed into her ear which sent shivers down her spine.

He started moving slow at first before pumping into her without mercy that she bounced back and forth. His fisted her long hair and pulled her head back, earning another gasp from her.

“You like this?” he checks in again.

Her heart is warming at his concern. He’s taking her hard but still has concern for her.

“Yes, I do. Please, don’t stop”, she answered.

He leaned in closer to her and kissed her spine.

“I don’t intend to”, he replied and hammered her again and again.

He then pulled her up so now she’s sitting on him as he helped her go up and down on him. His hand landing on her clit which made her throw her head back. He met every thrust which sent him in deeper, she thought for a moment that he’s going to split her in half.

“Fuck…” her muscles clenched around him tight as she came for the fourth time.

He quickly pulled out of her before flipping her on her back. She thought he’s done and came out of her but no, he’s not. He thrusted back in and she found herself being drove into insanity. Her nerves are in overdrive. He lifted a leg up, his member hitting her g-spot again and again. Her clit rubbing on his pelvis as he pumped her hard. She starts seeing spots behind her eyes and she knows she’s going to pass out.

“Ah…fuck!” she heard him groaned before feeling the warm sensation inside her as he shoots his seeds inside her body and that drove her to come again.

The fifth orgasm did it for her and everything went black.

\-----------------------------------

When she opened her eyes again, he’s next to her dabbing wet cloth on her forehead with a smile on his face.

“I passed out?” she asked.

“You did”, he confirmed.

“That’s so embarrassing”, she protested.

“No…it’s very ego-boosting, actually”, she rolled her eyes, “It never happened to you before, does it?” he asked.

“No. I never passed out before while having sex”, she answered.

He hummed and pulled the blanket over her body to keep her warm.

“Well, there’s a first for everything and by the way, I achieved my goal”, she frowned at him, “I made you come five times tonight”, he said proudly.

Five times? No wonder she passed out. She then felt him leave the bed.

“Are you leaving?” she asked.

“I’m going to wash this in the bathroom. Do you want me to?” he asked her back.

“No. Stay please”, she answered and he smiled.

“Alright, I’ll be right back”, he replied.


	2. No Names

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> well, now i can't stop writing about this...i am so caught up in vermish world right now i can barely function

Vera can hardly focus on what the speaker was saying during the second day of the convention because all she can think about is the handsome stranger from last night who fucked her brains out that she passed out right after her _fifth_ orgasm. No one has ever done that to her before. One of her golden rules is never to sleep with the same person twice. She avoids getting attached and she knows she has the tendency to get attached so easily if she beds a man more than once.

The problem is, she can’t get him out of her head. When she left the room earlier, he asked her for her name and she refused to give it. He was about to give his but she stopped him. It’s just one night, right? Why the need for introduction? She does not want any temptation to track him down and take their one-night stand further into something that will break her heart in the future. She had learned her lesson a long time ago so she’s determined not to make the same mistake ever again. Hence, the no strings attached lifestyle.

When day two comes to an end, she took her time going back to the hotel. She avoids the bar just in case _he’s_ there but what she did not expect is running onto _him_ at the restaurant where she’s planning to eat.

“Well, this is a nice surprise. Are you stalking me?” he asked with a wide grin on his face.

Vera scoffed.

“Me? Stalking you?” he shrugged. “No, I am not. I came here because I am starving”, she answered.

“Great because I already have a table and it’s such a waste to use it alone. Come along”, he said.

She followed him with her eyes as he left her mouth hanging open in shock. The audacity of the man! First, he accused her of stalking him and now, he assumed it’s okay for her to share table with him? She can get her own table. She looked around and saw that every table seemed to have been reserved already. Vera takes it back. Sharing table might be a good idea. She’s dying of hunger to take the effort of finding another place to eat.

He helped her sit before taking the spot across from her. The waiter brought them the menu and they ordered their food.

“So, how’s the convention?” he asked while waiting for their food.

What is happening?

“It’s fine”, he looks like he does not believe her, “Okay, I did not listen to half of what has been discussed”, she answered.

“…and why is that?” he followed up.

“What’s with the question?” she fired back.

“Just making conversation, if you’re not comfortable with it, I’ll gladly change the subject”, he explained coolly.

She pursed her lips. Is this man baiting her?

“I did not…I could not pay any attention to the lecture because all I can think about is last night”, she admitted with a defiant look on her face.

She’s not going to let this man beat her in this game. She’s not shy when it comes to what she wants and she’s not about to start now. He simply smiled.

“I’m glad to hear it because I’ve been thinking for an entire day about the things I will do to you tonight”, he replied.

She felt a rush of arousal went straight to her core. Her brain is telling her that she does not do two-night stands but her brain is being clouded by her desire as she licks her lips unconsciously.

“What makes you say I want you tonight?” she challenges.

He smirked.

“…because you’re already flushed and I bet you’re already wet”, he guessed.

It’s right on time that they food arrived and it helped calm Vera down. He’s not wrong with the wet part because she is but she’s not going to admit that to him.

“Can I ask you something?”

“You’re already doing it”,

“Why wouldn’t you let me tell you my name if you don’t want to give yours?” he asked.

She looked up from her plate. Something in his expression changed. He looked sad.

“Don’t take it personally. It’s just me and my issues”, she sighed and put her utensils down, “I don’t like relationships. I used to but not anymore. I enjoy the sex part but I refuse to be a part of everything else that comes along with relationship. Not knowing your name helps in moving on since we’re not going to see each other anyway after the one-night stand. There’s no need to know too much, I guess”, she answered.

He studied her carefully. Something in his stare made her feel like he’s peeking right through her soul and it made her uneasy.

“Would you like us to be just one-night stand?” he asked again.

She failed to answer that.

She had set her mind to stick with her rules and for years it worked so well for her until she met this man last night. His blue eyes are pulling her into the depths of him and she cannot get away.

“I should want that, yes”,

“…but you don’t want to…”

“Fuck…” she stared back at him, “no…this is not happening. I can’t do this”, she quickly grabbed her purse, left some money on the table without counting it and bolted out of the restaurant.

\------------------------------------

She felt someone grabbed her arm before she was able to reach the elevator and pulled her to another empty cart before the door closed. It’s him.

“Look, I’m sorry but—”

“Shut up”, he cut her off before taking her key card.

He did not let go of her arm until they reached her room and he opened the door for her. Once it’s locked, he turned to her with a serious expression on his face.

“My name is…”

“No, stop”,

“I’m Hamish”, she breathed out and closed her eyes, “I don’t know what you went through to shut the everyone out of your life but I can’t treat you like some random girl I picked up in a bar. You’re not like that. You don’t deserve that. If you don’t like to give me your name, that’s okay. I want you to know mine so you know that I am not like the other guys you’ve been with who’s okay with your terms”,

She was left speechless.

“I did not approach you last night at the bar just because I want to have sex with you. I felt attracted to you and I knew you would be different from everyone else in that room. You’ve proven me that when you spoke. You’re a woman of intellect, confidence, and authority. Maybe your looks made me take the first step of approaching but your brain made me stay. I want to know more about you. It does not have to be details of your life. Like I said, I’ll take what I can get. If we happen to never see each other after this, I’ll have our memories together to cherish for a lifetime. Don’t you want the same thing?” he asked.

Few tears escaped her guard and fell down her cheeks.

“Why the need to complicate things, Hamish?” she asked him back.

He closed the distance between them and put his hands over her shoulders.

“There’s really no need. You just have to let go and enjoy this weekend. Make this your escape before you go back to your life somewhere else”, he answered.

How can you say no to that?

Instead of responding with words, she responded with her lips on his. His touch is fire and she’s burning. Unlike the night before, he takes it slow this time. He cherished every part of her, studied what makes her moan the loudest, what makes her gasp. By the end of the night, they’re both spent in each other’s arms.

“I don’t do this”, she muttered as they both stared at the ceiling. Well, she’s staring at the ceiling and he’s looking at her.

“What is?” he asked.

“Sleep with the same guy twice. I know it sounded horrible and slutty but I set that rule for myself so I wouldn’t get attached. Pillow talk is a dangerous thing, you know. I started not giving out information about myself and then stopped the other party to share things with me. Things kind of escalate from that. I refused to give my name or know their names and I received no complaints. It worked for a while, until now”, she answered without meeting his eyes.

She’s afraid to see the judgment in them.

“I see the appeal in that but I don’t see myself being like that with you”, he muttered.

“It seems I am the same way with you. I already broke my own rule, haven’t I?” she asked then turned to him.

He gently tucked her hair behind her ear.

“I am happy to be with you. I will not force you to tell me things you don’t want to, okay?” she nodded, “Good. Let’s get some sleep. We have a big day tomorrow”,

“What are you talking about?” she asked.

“We’re ditching both our conventions tomorrow to spend the entire day with each other”,

“Hamish”,

“We may not see each other again after this. I am not going to waste our last day sitting in a hall and listening to other people talk when I can be with you”, he explained.

She does not want to get use to having someone like him around but she knows she will forever regret it if she passes up the opportunity to spend tomorrow with him.

“I’m beginning to think you’re a bad influence”, she teased and he let out a chuckle before holding her close to his chest and together they both fell asleep.

\------------------------------------

Vera woke up the next day to Hamish’s kisses. A smile quickly formed on her lips as she hummed in approval.

“Good morning”, she greeted.

“Good morning, gorgeous. How’s your sleep?” he asked.

She stirred and buried herself further into his warm body.

“Best one I had in a very long time”, she answered.

Hamish laughed as he traced circles on her bare back.

“We need to get ready. I know a good café around here for breakfast”, he suggested but she groaned and buried her face onto his chest.

“It’s too early. Let’s stay few more minutes”, she grumbled which made him laugh some more.

“Darling, it’s almost nine”, he mentioned.

Vera pushed herself up to look at the clock and yes, it’s almost nine in the morning.

“Alright…alright…” she said in protest as she got out of bed without bothering to cover herself and made her way to the bathroom.

She can hear Hamish laughing behind her. When she caught sight of herself in the mirror, she almost gasped. She’s full of hickeys. Her neck got them like a freaking necklace. Her chest, belly, waist, shoulders, her back…he sure marked every inch of her. She made a mental note to remove all of it when she’s on the road back to Norwich. She can’t do it right now because he’ll wonder how she’ll be able to do that. Besides, she kinda likes having his marks on her.

“It’s a work of art”, he muttered behind her.

“Really? You’re lucky it’s cold enough outside to justify a turtleneck”, she responded with an amused smile she couldn’t hide.

He wrapped his arms around her.

“To be honest, I would prefer you flaunting those marks around so the other guys out there can die of envy”, he then pulled her under the shower with her giggling in his arms.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> we all know Hamish wants more from Vera but he's respectful enough not to force her into a relationship...my man


	3. Last Day

The day started on a very good note. After two rounds of sex in the shower, they finally managed to get to the café Hamish was talking about. They ordered coffee and pastries. They talked about random things like favorite colors, movies, songs. They even took it further by giving pop quizzes to one another. Once they’re done with breakfast, they strolled the city with his arm around her shoulders to keep her warm and to let the other guys drooling over her that she’s not available. Vera would normally frown at that gesture of possessiveness but for someone reason, she likes it when Hamish acts territorial.

Another thing that she likes about him is that, accompanying her inside clothes shop does not bore him. Instead, he shares his point of view when it comes to her choices. She realized that he likes her to dress in a monochromatic way which is already her fashion taste. She watched him licked his lips when she put on a very form hugging black dress with a high slit that goes over her thigh. He immediately asked her to buy the dress and wear later for dinner.

They visited a few more shops before they decided to stop for a while at a park to rest.

“Chocolate ice cream…you remember”, she commented when he returns with two ice creams on his hands.

“Always at your service”, he replied and gave it to her.

They sat next to each other as they watched the joggers come and go. There are children playing around, some lovers making out under a tree. It’s a very good day. Vera let out a sigh.

“What’s the matter?” he asked.

“Nothing. I just…well, it kinda makes me sad to leave this place tomorrow. I wish my life is this peaceful and simple”, she answered while watching two kids play with each other.

“Running a school is that stressful, huh”, he muttered.

 _If only you know…_ she thought.

“Something like that”, she ate her ice cream for a moment before smiling sadly, “Everyone thinks it’s so easy to be the boss lady but when you reach a certain position at a very young age, people tend to think less of your capabilities. When you’re a woman, their initial thought is that I slept my way to the top. Well, a combination of being a woman and my age made the job a lot harder than it should be for me. I feel this constant need to prove myself to everyone, that I can do my job well. I am not allowed to make mistakes because committing one will only prove their point”, she chuckled, “I hate politics so much”, she shared.

Hamish stared at her as she finished her ice cream. It’s the most she shared about her life to him and he did not see that coming. He was contented to spend time with her without having her telling him details of her life as she wished but he’s glad she felt comfortable enough to tell him that.

“I get what you mean. I don’t know about the gender but I understand what keeping up with the expectation means”, she looked back at him, “My parents are quite successful in life, in their chosen careers. It’s kinda run in the family so to speak so when it comes to me, the only child, I have to live up to the name. I need to be an achiever too just like them. Living under that kind of pressure since I was kid cost me more than I liked. I wanted to do sports but my father thought of it as a waste of time so no sports for me. Everything has to be perfect. In case you’re wondering about the multiple degrees, I had them because I am stalling. I don’t want to follow my father’s footsteps and become a snobby lawyer so the only excuse I can make to avoid that is to study some more. I want to start living my life, make my own decisions, you know? It may not be the same as your situation but, I get the feeling”, he responded.

Vera now can understand the polished look, the very tailored manner and etiquette. She knew he comes from a well-off background but she did not realize it was like that for him. She did not go through that kind of upbringing but she understood the pressure. The only difference is that the pressure for him comes from his parents while the pressure for her comes from within herself.

“We make quite such a pair, don’t we?” she teased and he smiled.

“Match made in heaven I say”, he teased back.

\------------------------------------

The two spent the rest of the day talking to each other while roaming around the city. From the outside, they look like any other couple. They look like they’re very much in love. There were times when Vera will catch herself in awe of the man she’s with and she will hold herself back to prevent herself from falling. Each time Hamish will feel her hesitance, he will reassure her of the purpose of the day which is to relax and to let go and to cherish every second of it.

By dinner time, Vera had put on the dress Hamish selected for her earlier. They walked hand in hand to the restaurant and she swore she saw a proud smirk on his face when few pairs of eyes followed her around the establishment.

“Have I told you that you look stunning in that dress?” he asked.

She rolled her eyes at him.

“You have…seven times to be exact”, she answered.

“Well, make that eight because you do look stunning in that dress”, he reiterated.

She couldn’t help but blush at his compliments.

They ordered and continued conversing with one another throughout the meal. It felt so easy to be with him, like she had known him all her life. She does not feel any uneasiness expressing her views on things with him because she knows they will not be met with judgment of his part. He has an open mind and he is willing to listen to what she has to say. When he gives her his views, she knows that he had thought it through and not just spitting nonsense to look cool or to impress her. He’s confident as much as she is. Hell, they can make cookbook an interesting topic for half an hour straight.

When they got back to her hotel room, they can’t keep their hands off of each other. The clock is ticking for the both of them and they don’t want to waste any time with talking anymore. They’ve done that the whole day. They want to feel each other this time and get lost in the moment.

They fought for dominance, surrendered in each other, and cried each other’s names. They went gentle, passionate, to rough. They did it against the door, on the bed, in the bathroom, in the freaking closet…they just don’t want to stop because when the morning comes, it will all be over.

It’s already four in the morning and they’re both spent on the bed. Vera is so glad she did not pass out this time. She did not want to miss a minute by being unconscious. He cradled her in his arms, planted soft kisses wherever he could. She can hear his heavy breathing and she knows why. They did not say a word as the clock ticks. Words couldn’t describe what they’re feeling at the moment. What would you say to person you may not be able to see again? Would a few hours be enough to contain everything you want to say? For a moment, Vera regretted not having to tell him things about her because she’s curious how he’s going to react if he finds out more about her world but then again, she can’t tell him everything.

“I don’t want to fall asleep”, she confessed, breaking the silence in the room.

“I am not going anywhere. I’ll still be here when you wake up”, he said.

“Yeah…but that would be wasting what’s left of our time together”, she pointed out.

Her body is exhausted and she can feel the pull of sleep dragging her down but she refused to be defeated.

“It will not be wasted because we’re still here together. You can’t fight sleep. You have more than two hours of drive tomorrow and I’ll be worried sick to know you’ll be driving while suffering for lack of sleep”, he pulled her closer, “Come on, get some sleep. I’ll be here. I promise”, he replied.

As much as she wants to stay awake, her eyes are closing on their own.

“Don’t ever break your promise”, she mumbled before finally falling asleep.

\-----------------------------------

It was almost seven when she wakes up…alone on her bed. Pain was about to hit her if Hamish did not come out of the bathroom with a smile on his face.

“I was about to wake you. I ordered breakfast and coffee”, he greeted.

She saw the tray waiting for her at the foot of the bed.

“You’re up early. Did you sleep?” she asked.

“I did but I set an alarm to wake up early so I can browse the room service menu and order you something to eat before you hit the road”, he answered.

Is this guy for real?

Her heart warms at his caring gestures and despite her attempts to keep it together, to stop herself from falling off the cliff, he’s making it difficult for her when he’s being like this.

“Thank you”, she fought the tears, “I…wow…I don’t know what to say”, she stammered.

Hamish chuckled a little.

“Hey, it’s just breakfast. I am not even sure if that taste good but I can go get you something else if you don’t like it”, he said innocently.

“It’s not just breakfast, Hamish. It’s everything. You do things that surprise me. You do things people don’t normally do to me without expecting anything in return. I don’t know what to make of it”, she propounded.

He held her hands and rubbed the back of them gently.

“Stop overthinking everything. Not everyone is out to get you or to hurt you. Right now, I am only here to be with you and make you happy. You don’t have to make anything out of it”, he replied.

His calming effect is at works again and she found herself relaxing.

“Right. I’m sorry…sometimes I do that, got caught up in my head”, she apologized.

“I love how your mind works but really, it’s okay to go with the flow sometimes and see where life is going to take you”, he commented.

Vera tried that before. It did not end well. She’s thankful this weekend made her happy at the very least.

“Thank you for being so patient with me”, she muttered.

“Always…well, now we need to eat before the food gets cold”, he responded.

They spent more time with each other after the meal, made love to one another in the bathroom, taking it slow so they would feel everything. The realization of never seeing each other again hits both of them when Vera started packing her clothes and other stuff in her suitcase.

Hamish watched her do that helplessly, silently praying she’ll change her mind and stay another day with him but just like what he promised, he’s not going to force her to do anything she does not want to do. If this is the end for them, he’ll take their memories together forever.

Vera, on the other hand, packed silently. She’s afraid of what’s going to come out of her mouth if she dares to speak and look his way. She knows he’s watching her and she knows how he feels because she feels the same way too. She wanted to stay another day and be normal with him but she got a job waiting for her and not only her job as Chancellor. She pledged herself to the Order and as Temple Magus, she has disciples to take care of. She cannot just abandon them for personal reasons.

Once she’s done packing, Hamish stole a few more kisses from her before helping her check out of the room. It became a special room for him because it’s where they spent their weekend enveloped in each other’s arms. He walked with her until the valet brought her car out front. The bellboy put her suitcase in the car as Vera stood in front of him, unable to form her thoughts properly into words.

“I really wish for us to have more time but you already gave me too much than you would normally allow”, he started.

Tears formed in her eyes but she refused to let them fall.

“You said you’re not going to hurt me…” she sniffled, “…then why do I feel like my heart is about to explode?” she asked.

He pulled her into his arms one last time. It was her who pulled back after a few minutes, she touched his face before turning away and driving off. In her car, she finally allowed herself to cry. _So much for not getting attached…_


	4. Professor

A MONTH LATER

Vera had once again fallen into a pattern. She wakes up, get ready, and throw herself at work the whole day before she comes home and crashed. She would eventually repeat that pattern for the days to come as if it’s programmed within her body. She has nothing to live for other than her duties, her jobs. That’s the reason why she even bother getting out of bed no matter how hard it is sometimes.

This day is no different. She had put on her nice black dress and heels, drove her way to the campus, and marched the halls in her stoic expression. It’s a must if she wants to install fear and respect to everyone in Belgrave. The Vice Chancellor had called her to remind her of the introduction of new professors of Belgrave for the school year and she does not intend to be late. Otherwise, what kind of message would that be?

“Good morning, Chancellor Stone!” Henry Olsen, her Vice Chancellor greeted with too much enthusiasm than required.

“Good morning”, she checked her watch and saw that she’s right on time, “Well, I was informed that we have four new members of the faculty”, she greeted back.

Henry clasped his hands and gestured for her to enter the office. Four persons are waiting for her when they got in: two male professors and two female professors. She had not had the time to go over their qualifications due to Temple duties she had to take care of the past few weeks. Besides, if the board feels so strongly about a candidate, there’ll be nothing for her to say otherwise. The board is always right. That’s the motto of Belgrave University.

“Everyone! This is our school chancellor, Chancellor Vera Stone”, Henry introduced her to everyone.

The moment they all turned to her direction, her eyes got pulled by a set of intense blue eyes to her right.

 _Are you fucking kidding me right now?_ She thought to herself.

“Chancellor, this is Professor Stevens for Biology; Professor Garcia for Anthropology; Professor Wallis for Economics; and Professor Duke for Philosophy”, Henry continued.

Henry had told her of their names last night but of course, she wouldn’t have known it was him because she refused to allow him to give her his name. He insisted and only provided his first name, not his last. _Hamish Duke_. That’s his full name. She really should have made time to review the candidates credentials to avoid surprises like this.

“Good morning and congratulations for making it to Belgrave University”, she quickly recovered, “Now, I am certain that Vice Chancellor Olsen already informed you of the things to know around here so I expect that you will all live up to your qualifications and do your best to educate our students”, she said.

It’s the same speech she always give to newly hired faculty members but for some reason, this time, it was so hard to spit it out.

“Yes, Chancellor”, the four replied altogether.

She gave one last glance into Hamish before walking away.

\-----------------------------------

She should have known that he would follow her inside her office. He’s always been persistent. Once she heard the lock on the door, she turned to face him.

“So, this is the school you run”, he muttered in amusement.

It’s been a month since that weekend in New York City. It’s been a month since she’s been tortured of longing for his touch, his witty comebacks. It’s been a month since the last time she truly smiled.

“Yes, this is that school, but coming here in my office is highly inappropriate, Mr. Duke. I did not know you’re going to work here. I did not review the applications”,

“If you have known, would you turn me down?” he asked.

Shit…that’s not what she’s trying to say.

“That’s not what I meant. What I was trying to say is that I was surprised. That’s all. I don’t like surprises very much”, she answered.

“It takes away your ability to control things”, he pointed out.

She arched a brow at him and thought about kicking him out of her office for calling her a control freak but she couldn’t bring herself to be mean to him.

“You can say that but I am the Chancellor of this school and you’re my faculty. I don’t think I have to tell you the complications it will give us both if anyone sees you in here or finds out about last month”, she said.

Hamish had closed the distance between them and she’s grateful he had locked the door. She can feel the warmth emanating from his body and it’s making her knees weak.

“Is it against Belgrave’s rule to get involved with faculty?” he asked. His voice is low and dangerous.

“No, it’s not, but I’d rather not. It’s already hard enough to maintain the respect I have from everyone. I couldn’t begin to imagine what would be the talk in campus when they find out their Chancellor is sleeping with the new hot professor right after he was hired”, she answered.

He knows she has a point in that argument but that’s not what caught his ears.

“New hot professor…so, you think I’m hot?”

Vera silently kicked herself for that. She did not mean to say it out loud.

“Hamish…”

She felt his hands on her waist as he draws her further into his body and she felt his hard member on her stomach. She couldn’t help the soft whimper that escaped her mouth.

“You smell so fucking good…” he muttered with a slight growl and she became flooded with arousal that she’s certain he can smell too.

“…not here”, she blurted out.

He quickly let her go and stepped back. She knows she looked flushed all over. She’s panting for crying out loud. She can see the look of lust in his eyes but this is not a good time and place for this kind of reunion. She got so much to lose and she cannot afford that.

“I have a class so I’ll see you after. We’ll take my car”, he decided before leaving her office.

Vera was left stunned. Did he just make a decision for her without letting her say anything? What would she say if given the chance? The answer is nothing. She couldn’t think of anything. Her mind is literally clouded with desire at the moment that she couldn’t think of anything else other than having him on her bed.

“Fuck…” she cursed as she shakes her head. She needs to work, like right now.

\------------------------------------

The day is torture. Despite drowning herself willingly with piles of paperwork, she couldn’t stop thinking about Hamish. He’s now in her school. It’s not that she’s not happy to see him again. She is. It hurts her to say goodbye to him in New York last month but she never thought of him being in her world. What’s going to happen next? She swore to herself she’ll never get involved with anyone ever again. That weekend was supposed to be just a weekend. A break from her life. With Hamish being in her life right now, she’s bound to break that oath.

As the clock ticks, Vera grew anxious. It’s not a problem if he’s like any other guy who just wants sex from her. He’s not like that. She knows he’s not a no strings attached kind of man and she does not expect him to be. He wants more and she can feel it. The only problem is her. Aside from her immense trust issues, she’s running a secret magical society. How’s Hamish going to fit in to that? She cannot bring him to be a disciple because that would endanger his life. Hell, no one in the Order can find out about him. She made a lot of enemies throughout the years due to her convictions and beliefs. He will be targeted because of her…because now, she has a weakness.

Maybe she can just powder him as early as now so he will not remember her or their time together.

_If we happen to never see each other after this, I’ll have our memories together to cherish for a lifetime…_

No, she cannot take that away from him. She cannot do that to him. God, she’s so royally screwed.

“Rough day?” Hamish asked from the door.

She had not realized that it’s already seven in the evening. She had not left her office since morning because her mind is elsewhere.

“You can say that”, she answered.

“Well, the work for the day is over. Let’s get something to eat”, he said.

Vera finds herself following Hamish to his car without uttering a word. She’s too shock to even think of anything to say in the first place. When the car started moving, the tension rises.

“You have a very beautiful name”, she turned to him, “Vera…it means truth in Latin. Vera Stone…solid truth, I like it”, he said while focusing on the road.

She saw a hint of smile on his lips. She had never given him her name so she knows it’s a surprise for him to find out she’s going to be his boss.

“Philosophy, huh?” she asked.

Hamish laughed.

“I told you. I am stalling, but I do love Philosophy and wanted to share that love with other people who often think that the field is boring. It’s not if it’s properly explained”, he answered.

She smiled. She already knows he’s going to be a great professor.

“Then your students will be lucky to have you as their professor”, he turned to her and gave her his charming smile, “Where are we going?” she asked curiously when she realized that the road is not leading to her house.

“…to get something to eat but I don’t know any great place here in Norwich so I am taking you to my apartment so I can cook for you”, he answered confidently.

Her heart beats faster. No man has ever cooked for her before.

“…and you’re certain that I will like your cooking?” she teased.

“Oh, I am”, he answered and they both laughed.

\-----------------------------------

When they got in his apartment, Vera was impressed by his taste in design and furniture. Everything was neat and modern.

“You have a great place”, she complimented.

He took off her coat and hangs it on the rack.

“Thanks. I am looking forward to finding something else”, she frowned, “I don’t like to keep living under my father’s payroll”, he said.

“I don’t understand. I thought you said this is your apartment”, she’s suddenly confused.

“It is. It’s a gift from my parents. Actually, I don’t own this apartment. I own the building”, he explained.

She blinked a few times before she was able to absorb the fact that his family is that rich to gift him an entire apartment building.

“Wow, that’s heavy”, she muttered.

“Tell me about it. I’d like to call it my own but I just can’t”, he replied.

“If it helps, I can give you the number of my real estate agent”, she offered.

He smiled at her as he walks to cup her face.

“Thank you”, he accepted.

His touch sent electric bolts all over her body and she suddenly forgot that she’s hungry. Her appetite is interested in something else now. She involuntarily licks her lower lip and that’s done it for Hamish. He leaned over and pressed his lips onto hers which made her melt. They surely missed each other by the way they’re devouring one another. When they broke the kiss to get catch some air, Vera raised a brow at him.

“I thought you’re cooking me dinner”, she muttered.

“Later…I’d like to eat you first”, he replied, scooped her up.

“Jesus…” she groaned in anticipation of what awaits her in his bedroom.


	5. Woke Up at the Wrong Side of the Bed

“Hamish!” is the only word that can be heard throughout Hamish’s apartment as Vera screamed his name after her fourth orgasm of the night.

Her entire body is shaking, her vision is getting blurry. She’s on the verge of passing out again and Hamish did not want to lose few minutes with her so he allowed himself to be pulled by the clenching of her muscles and he came inside her.

“I missed you so badly”, he confessed while raining kisses on her face and her neck.

A smile formed on her lips. She’s more than satisfied and for the first time in thirty days, she feels so much lighter. She realized she’s more than a person with a routine of a programmed machine. She can feel things. She can when she’s with him.

“I missed you too”, she admitted.

He fell beside her both catching their breaths.

“Vera…”

She hummed. She’s still floating in cloud nine.

“Do you mean what you said earlier? You would rather not be with me because you avoid being the talk in campus?” he asked.

Vera turned to him only to find him already staring at her. There’s that hope in his eyes and she knows why. There is definitely something between the two of them. There is no denying it. She’s never been like this with anyone before. She’s never been so out of control but there’s too much at stake for her, not only the school but also the Order.

“It’s much more than that, Hamish”, she answered.

He’s waiting for more but he can see the struggle within her. She’s probably thinking of what to say, which part of her to share to him.

“It’s okay. I promised you I will not push to do or say things you don’t want to”, she sighed, “Can I ask you a favor though?”

“What is it?” she asked.

“Will you let me care for you?” she frowned, “I don’t ask anything from you. Just let me spend time with you…not in school, of course”, he answered.

This guy is too good to be true.

“Why?”

“What do you mean why?”

“Why me, Hamish? All I’ve done to you is push you away. You offered me your time and everything else and I still can’t bring myself to give you what you want and you still want to spend time with me? To care for me? Why?” she clarified.

He gently brushed the hair off of her face.

“You’re wrong, darling. You’ve already given me what I want. You looked my way and allowed me to show you how much I care. I’m just too greedy to ask for more. I can’t explain it, Vera. I’ve never felt this way about anyone before in my life. I feel so alive when I’m with you. My entire being screams for you. You may not feel the same way about me but I’ll take what I can get because I’m so goddamn lucky to be in the same space as you”, he explained.

She leaned into his touch and allowed him to pull her closer into his body. She missed being like this with him. She missed that magical weekend, that full day with him just strolling around New York City.

“I want what you want, Hamish. I want this but I need time. It would be unfair to you if we start something when I’m not a hundred percent in it”, she muttered in his chest.

The sound of his heart beating is calming her.

“That’s alright. I can wait. I’m not going to anywhere. You forgot, I’m employed in your school now”, he replied.

They both laughed at that.

“Yes, you are”, she mumbled as sleep slowly sucks her in.

Hamish said something after that but she couldn’t make it out. Soon, everything went dark as she lies comfortably next to him and they both fell asleep.

\------------------------------------

Vera woke up to the sound of Hamish’s voice calling her name gently. She stirred and hummed as she nuzzled herself further into his body to be more comfortable. She heard his low laughed and tried to wake her again.

“It’s too early…few more minutes”, she protested.

She felt his lips on her forehead and on her cheek.

“Vera, darling…we have to get up. We have to get to work”, he said to her in a very amused voice.

What is he talking about? It’s too early to get to campus.

“What time is it?” she asked with her eyes closed.

“It’s eight”, he answered.

That forced her to open her eyes and pushed herself up from the bed and bolted out of the bed.

“Why didn’t you wake me up sooner?!” she exclaimed as she marched to the bathroom, brushing the sleep from her eyes.

Hamish stunned soon burst out laughing and followed her into the bathroom.

“I did! You kept saying it’s too early”, he said while laughing.

Vera had stripped off his shirt and turned on the shower. She glanced over to him and frowned.

“Well? Aren’t you joining me? It’ll save us some time”, she asked.

They did not save some time. In fact, they stayed in that shower for almost an hour and by the time they finished the actual showering, Vera realized she does not have any clothes to wear for work.

“We can stop by your house”, he suggested.

She groaned in frustration.

“We are so going to be late”, she complained.

\----------------------------------

Hamish couldn’t stop laughing and smiling as they both got out of the car when they arrived at her house. She’s wearing her shirt that’s too big for her, it’s basically a dress for her. She quickly jumped out of the car and opened the door to her house.

She tossed him his shirt as she got upstairs and it only took her less than five minutes to come back all dressed up and polished. It made him frowned but did not have the time to ask her how on earth she was able to get ready that fast because she’s already hurrying towards the car. She had grabbed his keys from him and drove his car like she’s racing against a Ferrari.

Vera had used magic as soon as she got inside her bedroom. There’s no way she can make it before nine so she had to improvise. She saw the question mark on Hamish’s face when she got downstairs but she got no time to make excuses about her pace. They’re late and Hamish is new. It will be bad for him if he’s already late within his first week of tenure. She did not mean to drive like a maniac but since she cannot use magic in front of Hamish to just magically remove obstacles from her path, she had to make his car fly, if that’s possible.

“Next time, we’re staying in my house”, she said as she tossed him his keys and walked away.

Hamish stood in front of the Belgrave’s main entrance with a beaming smile on his face. There will be a next time. It’s a start.

\------------------------------------

Vera is in a sour mood the entire day. When she got in her office, she’s already swarmed with work. She had not had the time to get herself a cup of coffee which she badly needed and when she thought she’s done with work, another pile comes in to keep her bound to her desk.

When she entered the Temple, problems greeted her as there’s rising problems with a creature killing neophytes. She couldn’t choose which is better: to let herself drown in paperwork in Belgrave or do Respondeo every now and then at the Temple. There’s no lesser evil.

After a long agonizing conversation with Edward Coventry regarding the matter, she forced herself to go back to the campus. Maybe paperwork is not such a bad idea after all. Well, up until she saw Selena Durov, actively flirting with Hamish at the hallway. She’s his Philosophy TA and happens to be a disciple of the Order. Though the girl is definitely pushing it, Hamish made no move as he stood near the bulletin board, like he’s pinned or something. His smile is forced but he tries not to look rude and unpleasant. He’s clearly uncomfortable. That’s when Vera decided to interfere.

“Ms. Durov”, Hamish immediately noticed the fear in the girl’s eyes when she heard Vera’s voice, “The school is not keeping you here to become idle. Belgrave’s got a long list of TA applicants”, she said as she made her way to them.

Selena turned to Vera with an apologetic look.

“Forgive me, Ma—” Vera raised a brow, “Chancellor Stone”, she apologized.

Vera breathed in deep.

“You’re dismissed, Ms. Durov”, she muttered and the girl hurriedly walked away.

Hamish was suddenly confused at what happened. Of course, it’s normal for Vera to scold her for flirting out in the open but the way Selena reacted to her is odd. It felt like she almost wanted to kneel in front of Vera. Does everyone in the faculty fear her so much to that point?

“What was that about?” he asked.

She glared at him.

“What was that? Well, that’s an example of unprofessionalism, Mr. Duke”, she answered.

“Whoa…wait, I was not doing anything. She just came up to me to talk and suddenly, she’s asking me out. I did not say yes”, he explained in his defense.

Vera knows that. She saw it but she’s too irritated right now and on top of everything else that’s going on with her life, it did not help that Hamish did not turn Selena down right away. Made it clear to her that he’s not interested.

“No is not that hard to say”, that came out rather harsh.

She was suddenly reminded that they’re not really together. Wasn’t it her who keeps on pushing him away? He could have realized that he’s just wasting his time on her and discovered that there are other girls in Belgrave who want his attention. She has no right to be mad at him. He’s not hers to begin with. So, she reverts to her Chancellor stoic mode.

“I am aware that you’re new here, Mr. Duke, so I will allow this one to slide. Let it be a warning. I expect your professionalism be displayed in this campus. You’re a professor and students look up to you. Be an example”, she said and left a very shocked Hamish.

\----------------------------------

In her office, she finally finished her mountains of paperwork. She magicked herself a strong drink to soothe her nerves. The whole day wears her out. It’s not just the workload but the crisis at the Temple as well. How many times she used magic today? Despite trying to do it right, it still affects her. She can feel her muscles complaining. Crashing on her bed sounds so good just about now. That’s when the door opened.

“Hamish…”

She heard the door locked.

“I’m too tired to argue right now”, she muttered without looking at him.

“That’s okay. I’m not here to argue anyway”, she glanced over to him, “You looked adorable when you’re jealous”, he responded.

“What?”

“Oh please…it’s written all over your face earlier. I know you had a big day today. You barely left your office. I am pretty sure you had not eaten anything yet too…but I’m not going to apologize for earlier because I know I did not do anything wrong”, he said.

“Oh, and I did I suppose?” she asked.

He smirked.

“That’s right but I thought of some way you can make it up to me. Let’s go to your house and grant me access to your kitchen because I do believe I owe you a dinner last night”, he answered.


	6. Are We In A Relationship?

Vera watched Hamish as he dazzled her kitchen while wearing her apron. He’s making her pasta and despite being not so much of a food enthusiast, she’s having a blast with his narration of the things he’s doing while cooking. He’s like a walking food encyclopedia. He’s giving her details of the ingredients he’s using, what they’re good for and such. In a few minutes, she can feel herself salivating from the smell. She is hungry after all.

“Here goes nothing”, he placed a plate of pasta in front of her, “I hope you’re hungry”, he said.

He then proceeds with mixing drinks for her which made her curious. He seems to know what he’s doing.

“Did you work as a bartender before?” she asked.

He glanced her way with a smirk.

“No, I did not, but I like mixology. I’m an alcohol aficionado so this became a hobby”, he answered.

Is there anything he does not know how to do?

After he placed a drink on the counter, he took the seat next to her and urges her to eat. Vera braced herself and took the first bite.

“Oh wow…” it’s really delicious, “This is good, Hamish. You really can cook”, she complimented and it made Hamish smile before he started laughing at her.

“So, you’ve been doubting my skills since last night?” he asked.

“Let’s just say that I don’t know many guys who are fond of working the kitchen”, she answered.

She felt Hamish grabbed a napkin and he gently dabbed it on the side of her mouth to wipe the excess sauce. It’s a simple gesture and yet so powerful she can hardly focus on the food anymore.

“Have a drink”, he muttered and she did.

“Wow…aren’t you a total package? You have so many skills, Hamish Duke”, she responded.

He gave her a proud grin and which made her roll her eyes around. Sometimes, he can just get too cocky but instead of getting irritated at that, she finds it adorable.

After dinner, the two settled down in front of her TV with customed drinks by Hamish on the sofa. He got his arm around her while her head is leaning over his body. She can stay like this forever if only it’s that simple.

“You know there’s no one else, right?” he suddenly said.

“What’s that?” she asked.

“There’s no one else for me other than you. I like seeing you jealous and territorial and all but you can rest assure that you’re all I see”,

“Hamish—”

“…and before you can say that you have no right to be jealous or all of that crap, know that you have the right. You have the right, Vera”, he answered and turned to look at her.

She does not want to admit it but yes, she was jealous earlier when she saw Selena with Hamish because it’s something she cannot do, not in Norwich anyway. She can be like that with him somewhere else. She was like that with him in New York but not in her world.

“I’m sorry for snapping at you earlier”, she apologized.

“It’s okay. I get it. Do you know how hard it is to hold myself back when you walk along the hallway and every guy is drooling over you?” she frowned. “It’s petty because you don’t even see them but I do and it makes me want to grab you and kiss you in front of everyone to tell them that you’re not ever going to be with them but I can’t do that so yes, I understand where you were coming from earlier”, he replied.

Vera was not aware of that at all. She knows she dresses modestly in school. Her skirt never goes up her knees and she made sure her top does not reveal too much skin. She’s a Chancellor so she needs to be professional and respectable.

“Give me more time…please”, did she just say please?

She can barely remember the last time she pleads for a man. What is she scared of? She does know but she’s too afraid to even dare to picture that idea in her head.

“You don’t need to ask twice”, he replied.

\-----------------------------------

Days passed and eventually, Vera’s routine has changed drastically. Being with Hamish became so natural for her to the point that she stopped caring whether students will see them as they both get in campus in his car or her car together. Hamish drops during lunch to her office to bring her lunch or coffee since she always forgets to eat and they go home together. They’re always together that he had forgotten his own apartment existed.

That realization hits Vera as she stares at her bedroom. On the left nightstand was a man’s watch, Hamish’s watch. She’s certain if she smells the pillow on the left, it smells like him. In the bathroom, there are two toothbrushes on the sink, two towels by the rack and two sets of toiletries. In the closet, the room is filled with her clothes except for that small portion on the right side. Vests, coats, long sleeves and slack pants are arranged based on their colors. They were Hamish’s clothes. His shoes are nicely tucked by the corner too.

How come she had not noticed it before? Hamish has a space in her closet, things in her bathroom, and he even got his side of the bed. He practically lives in her house.

“Hamish…”

“Yes?” he answered while picking a movie to watch from her collection.

“Are we in a relationship?” she asked.

He stopped browsing and glanced over to her at the sofa. She’s nervously biting her nail as she stares at him.

“If you want it to be…” he muttered before pushing himself from the floor to sit next to her, “What’s bothering you?” he asked her back.

She took a deep breath.

“There’s so much you don’t know about me and here you are ready to dive in with everything you got. I’m scared to do the same because you might leave me when you find out everything about me”, she answered with her eyes focused on her lap.

He put his finger under her chin and made her looked back at him. He saw the uncertainty in her eyes as well as pain.

“I am not leaving you, Vera. I don’t think I can even if you ask me to”, he said.

Her lips wobbled for a moment before she was able to successfully control her tears from falling. Relationship is not ideal for the kind of life she’s living but she cannot give him up. She knows that now. It will be selfish of her to keep him despite all the danger that might befall on him but she cannot give him up.

“When I was 16…” she cannot believe she’s telling him this, “…my boyfriend knocked me up”, she searched his eyes for any sign of doubt or disgust but found none, “He, uh…, he left me when I told him about it. He said he did not want a child and that I would ruin his future. It turned out that I was not the only girlfriend he had at the time. My parents were outraged when they learned about it. They said that I would be an embarrassment to the family so I ran away from home. Luckily, I got a scholarship from Belgrave and my daughter and I went here in Norwich”,

She clenched her fists to stop them from shaking. She never shared this with anyone, not even her so-called friends in the Order. It’s too personal to say out loud.

“She died when she was seven months old…”

“Oh, Vera…”

“Anaphylactic shock…it was my fault. I was too tired to pay attention to the small signs that she’s allergic and when I realized it, it was too late”,

He held her closed fists until she loosened them up and allowed him to hold her hands.

“I was so angry with the world at the time, to my ex-boyfriend, to my parents, to myself. It was then that I decided that I will never allow that kind of pain again to affect me. I never allowed myself to be in a relationship because I was scared that everyone will turn out to be like him”, she inhaled deeply in an effort to keep the tears at bay but a few escaped her guards, “That was until I met you in that bar…I don’t know what I’m doing right now, Hamish. Am I setting myself up to get hurt again?” she asked.

Hamish can understand now why she’s so hesitant to allow anyone in. He knew something bad must have happened to her back then but he did not expect it to this degree. For years, she carried that pain in her heart, blamed herself for the death of her child, and deprived herself from ever being loved by other people. Sure, there are other people out there that will hurt her but not everyone has the same agenda. She had turned herself cold to protect herself but ended up isolated.

“I cannot promise you that we will not have bad days because it’s not realistic. There will be times we will disagree on things but I can promise you that I will never turn my back on you. Nothing can make me turn my back on you, Vera, because I love you”, he declared.

It almost stopped her breath. She has no idea how much she longs to hear those words from someone who actually means them.

“Are you sure? That’s not all there is to know about me”, she asked again.

“I am sure. Besides, there are plenty of time to get to know one another. We can start tomorrow if you like”, he answered.

That made her laugh as Hamish wiped her tears away from her face.

“So, we are in a relationship?”

“I am already in a relationship with you before you even asked the question”, he said and pulled her into his arms.

Vera finds comfort with the sound of his heart beating. _This is real_ , she keeps telling herself. She’s finally allowing herself to actually other than her work.

“Hamish…”

“Yes?” he answered.

“I love you too”, she said.

He pulled away to look at her and she smiled at him. He smiled back and leaned over to kiss her lips which she gladly responded to.

“This is way better to spend the night than watching movies”, he said in between kisses.

“Shut up, Hamish, and take me upstairs”, she replied.

\----------------------------------

The news spread fast. It was half of the semester and everyone is surprisingly happy that the Chancellor is dating their Philosophy professor. It’s not what Vera had expected but she welcomes it. It felt good to be out in the open and not worry that someone will see them and make the connection. She forgot how good it felt to be with someone.

“Hey, you ready to wrap things up and go home? I grabbed few things from the grocery earlier for dinner”, Hamish said when he came in to get her in her office.

“You went grocery shopping without me?” she asked.

“Well, I tried to get you earlier but they said you’re in a meeting. Don’t worry, I’ll cook your favorite later”, he answered.

Just in time, her stomach growled at the thought of food.

“Alright…let me just get my bag”, she yielded.

Hamish had helped her with her files before putting on her coat around her and together they walked out of the school heading to his car.

As they reached the vehicle, Hamish is putting her files in the car when Vera felt it.

“Magus!” she turned around and saw a ball of magic about to hit Hamish.

Her reflexes kicked in and pushed him out of the way. She felt the stab of pain on her chest before her back connected with something hard. Her vision gets blurry and the last thing she saw is Hamish beating up someone she does not recognize.


	7. Skeletons

“Vera? Vera? Come on, wake up”, it’s faint but she knows that voice. It’s Hamish calling for her.

When she dared to open her eyes, her body became aware of the hit she took and her muscles protested altogether that she groaned and almost screamed in pain.

“Easy…I think you broke a rib. I’ll take you to the hospital—oh, wait…I can’t lift you. I’ll 911”, he was clearly panicking.

“No”, she barely got that one out but he heard it.

“No? Vera, you need a doctor. I saw you flew against the tree!” he exclaimed.

 _Shit_ , she cursed in her brain. She’s going to have a hard time explaining that to him.

“Don’t…” she insisted.

Her hand is searching the source of the pain on her torso and when it landed on top of her very broken ribs, she bit her lower lip to the point that she tasted her own blood. She took a deep breath before focusing her magic towards her palm and keeping it steady. The healing process of a broken rib is not as glamorous as healing a cut. She felt the way her rib was realigned and reconnected to one another and it hurts like a bitch. When she’s satisfied she can finally move, she pushed herself up from the ground and realized that her head was bleeding too.

“Vera…”

Right, she forgot she was not alone. She glanced over to him and saw him frowning but he does not look like he’s on the verge of running away from her. He just looks confused which is normal.

“I’ll explain later. Where is he?” she asked.

Hamish pursed his lips and eyed to her left. There’s a man lying on the ground with his face all beaten up. Vera turned to Hamish with a question mark on her face, the same one he got few seconds ago.

“I’ll explain later. Who is he?” he asked her back.

Vera stared at the unconscious man carefully before she hovered her hand above him to feel his magic.

“I don’t know. He’s not attending Belgrave thank goodness, but I think I know where he came from”, she answered.

When she looked back at Hamish, the question mark on his face grew. She knows she’s not making any sense to him. So, she uttered a spell which made the man disappeared. Well, technically, he did not disappear. He’s just tied up with a magic-binding chains down the basement of the Temple so she can question him after she’s done talking with Hamish which she fears will occupy the entire duration of the evening.

\----------------------------------

They thought it would be best if they have the conversation at her house. It’s safer from anyone who might eavesdrop, and god knows who else out there wants to attack Vera or Hamish.

“Right…I’ll start. There’s no better way of putting it so I’ll just say it bluntly. I’m a magic practitioner”, he did not respond, “People like to call it as a witch but we don’t use that word. Uhmmm…I am not supposed to tell you this but you deserve to know everything about me. I am part of the Hermetic Order of the Blue Rose. It’s a secret society that deals with magic”, she started.

Hamish shifted on the chair while forming his questions.

“What did that guy mean when he called you Magus?” he asked.

“It’s a rank that we have in the Order. I am the Temple Magus of the Belgrave Chapter. You can say it’s the same with being a Chancellor but with involvement of magic”, she answered.

He took his time. He wants to fire the important questions.

“So…do you do good magic or bad magic?” he asked next.

There is a careful tone in his voice. It’s a valid question and she’s glad that he’s approaching this as an educator and without judgment.

“It depends on the practitioner. Magic can go both ways. We try to keep the disciples on the good magic lane. That’s my job as Temple Magus. I train them. I hone their skills and hope that bad magic is not going to tempt them. Sometimes I succeed. Sometimes I don’t”,

“How long have you been a practitioner?”

“A year after I got in Belgrave. I was recruited based on my merits”,

“Okay…this is just a question and I don’t want you to take this the wrong way”, he breathed in deep, “Have you ever used your magic on me without me knowing it?” he asked.

Her mind first went if he’s asking that she used magic to make him fall in love with her but that’s not what she saw in his eyes. He’s just really curious.

“…not on you, no. I once used magic to get ready faster because we were running late to go to work but that’s the extent of it”, she answered.

Hamish remembered that day. He always wondered how on earth she was able to get ready that fast. Now, he knows why.

“Thank you for telling me all of that. I know it’s not easy and you probably broke some rules”, he muttered.

She chuckled.

“Oh, I did…several, actually”,

“Are you going to be in trouble because of me?” he asked in concern.

“What? No. I’ll be okay. Well, it’ll be better if no one will know that you know about me being in the Order and all”, he gave her a knowing look, “They’re not going to hurt me. They’re going to make you forget. Actually, it’s what I’m supposed to do but I am not going to do that. I want you to know the real me and I don’t want to hide anything from you but you have to promise me you’re not going to say a word about this to anyone”, she answered.

“You know I’ll never betray your confidence”, that made her smile.

“Wait…so you’re not freaked out about me being a practitioner and all? You’re not going to run away or something?” she asked.

Hamish sighed and held her hand.

“I think I already told you that nothing is going to make me turn my back on you”, he responded.

He did tell her that.

“Your turn”, she urges.

His features suddenly turned hard. It’s his side she had not seen before. She recalled the state the man who attacked them was in and he’s pretty beaten up. Hamish did that to him.

“Do you remember when I told you my father runs a law firm?” she nodded, “That’s not all he runs. I am not sure really what but since I was a kid, he introduced me to self-defense lessons and at first, I thought at first, it’s cool. I get to learn martial arts but then, it became tough…to much for my liking. He had me training half of my life, saying it’s part of the preparation for when I take over. I don’t know what he’s deal and I don’t want to know. I don’t like that life. He must be involved in some illegal stuff which would explain the money and I won’t be a part of that. I always loathed the fact that I know so many ways to hurt people but after earlier, I was glad to have that knowledge because when I saw you hit that tree, I was so scared that I was going to lose you”, he said.

Vera wondered what kind of father Hamish had to have him spend his entire childhood training to hurt others. It’s not the same as enrolling your child to do sports. She can clearly see that it damaged Hamish at some point and he did not had the chance to be a kid.

“I’m so sorry, Hamish”, she muttered.

“It was not your fault. We all have skeletons in our closets, right?” he replied.

“Rest assured, mine is already out”, she said.

He held her close and she heard the hard pounding of his heart in his chest.

“Are you always going to be in danger?” he asked, fear registering in his voice.

She wanted to promise to him that it’s not going to happen again but with all the things that’s going on with the Order, that’s a tall order to make.

“I hope not always but it comes with the job. We protect magic and it’s my job to protect those kids”, she answered honestly.

He sighed and tightened his hold on her.

“How can I protect you when the others cannot know that I know about the Order?” he asked again.

She looked up at him and saw the tears in his eyes, threatening to fall. He’s truly scared for her.

“I’ll look after myself. I promise you that. I’ll find out who’s behind this and we’ll sort it out. I can protect myself. I worry about you too, you know. They can target you too”, she answered.

_Her only weakness…_

Earlier, that attack was not meant for her. It was directed towards Hamish. That man wanted to kill Hamish to get to her. They knew her weakness and they tried to go after him.

“I can also protect myself, Vera”, he reminded her.

She wanted to tell him that maybe it’s luck but she does not want to think that herself. She needs to find who ordered the attack and why so she can end this before it blows out of the proportion.

“I know. I know”, she nuzzled her face into his chest.

\------------------------------------

The next morning, Hamish woke up without Vera next to him on the bed. Panic shoots through him thinking that something bad had happened to her. What if more tried to hurt her? Though he’s still having a hard time processing the whole magic department of her life, he knows that her life is in danger and he needs to be there to protect her in his own way.

He pushed himself out of the bed and made his way to the stairs when he heard her yelling at someone over the phone.

“Oh, really? So that’s my fault now? That’s funny. I was the one who was attacked!”

Hamish listened in closely.

“I am aware of what this entails, Bitsy. I’ve been in this world for far too long but if it’s really them, we need to do something”,

He heard the clinking of glasses at the kitchen.

“Yes…and if we do nothing and something happened to the Temple Magus of Belgrave Chapter, don’t you think that’s a greater embarrassment for the Order? The Council couldn’t even defend its own Temple Magus?”

Hamish couldn’t hear what was being said on the other line but he does not like what it’s making him feel. By the tone of Vera’s voice, she’s blackmailing Bitsy is into helping her.

“Fine. I’ll stay put but only for 24 hours. I am not going to sit around and just wait for the next person to come and try to kill me again”, with that Vera has ended the call.

Hamish made his way downstairs and found her drinking bourbon at the kitchen.

“Vera, it’s seven in the morning”, he said while eyeing the bottle.

“Sorry, it’s an old habit. I need strong liquor when I’m talking to Kepler”, she apologized.

She sounded stressed. She looked like she did not even get enough sleep.

“Tell me what’s going on”, he said.

“I traced the magic used by that man to a rival society and Kepler, who basically controls the Council, does not want me to talk to the leader of the other organization she does not want to risk a war”, she replied.

He walked to the kitchen and made her a cup of black coffee.

“So, you’re to stay put for 24 hours. What happens when that’s up?” he asked.

“I’ll take matters into my own hands. Asking the Council for permission is just formality. I am not risking the lives of my disciples and yours in order to save face”, she answered then took a sip from her cup.

“Great, I’m coming with you”, he said.

“What? No, Hamish. They can’t know that you know, remember?” she reminded him.

“Well, I am not letting you put yourself on the line alone. If you can’t take me as your boyfriend, then take me as your disciple because there’s no way I am letting you go by yourself”, he insisted.


	8. Lessons

“Are you kidding me right now?”

Vera couldn’t believe what she just heard from Hamish. He just volunteered to be a disciple which is even unheard of. People don’t just go volunteering themselves to be a member of the Order. Disciples are selected and they go through tests. Besides, her world is already dangerous as it is. She wouldn’t dream of it for Hamish.

“You don’t know what you’re asking”, she muttered.

“Believe me, I do. I want to protect you. If it’s the only way that I can go with you without risking the Council’s wrath upon us, then so be it. I don’t care what kind of trials you put me into. I am doing this…please”, he pleaded.

Can she really sentence him into this life with her? Once he’s in, there’s no turning back.

“Hamish, you don’t understand. The Order is not some school club that you can join and then quit afterwards when you’re done with it. This is forever. This lasts a lifetime. If you dare to quit, the Order will erase your memories and who knows how much of your brain they will wipe out. There’s no escaping it with yourself intact”, she explained.

That’s why they impose the three rules of the Order during the neophytes’ initiation so they can determine who is willing to risk it all just to be part of the Order. Then, once they’re an acolyte, they made life difficult for them to see how long they’re going to last. The sooner they decide to give up, the better. It means they don’t have to erase much of their memories. She can’t imagine having hers erased. She’s been in the Order for far too long. Powdering her will surely give her brain damage or it will kill her.

“As long as you’re there, I’m not going anywhere. If you’re in my position, you’ll do the same”, he replied.

He’s right. She will do anything to protect him. She can understand him in that regard. Still, what he’s asking is not easy and at this point, it’ll be suspicious. He’s a professor in Belgrave, a newly hired one. Belgrave Chapter never gives invitation to professors to be a neophyte…and, the disciples will know that he did not go through any tests. Unless, she pulls some strings.

“I need to know this is what you really want, Hamish. I think I can make it happen but I don’t want you to regret it”, she muttered.

He gently cupped her face.

“For you, I’ll do anything. I will not lose you, Vera”, he responded.

Hamish watched Vera talked to someone on her phone for hours. He cannot understand a word she’s saying because she’s talking in French. He never knew she can talk in French. By the expression on her face, it seems that whoever she is talking to is giving her a hard time.

“Je connais le risque mais je l'aime vraiment lui. Tu ne peux pas faire celui-ci pour moi? Je te dois une faveur”, Vera said in her charming voice which makes Hamish wondered who she’s really talking to.

Ten more minutes passed and finally, a smile crept up on her face.

“Merci beaucoup. Je ne sais pas ce que je ferai sans toi. Au revoir”, she finally hangs up.

She is beaming which makes Hamish felt a bit of pang of jealousy.

“So?” he asked.

“It’s done”, she answered.

“Uhmmm…I think more details than that”, he said.

“That’s Maynard Valcourt. He’s Temple Magus of French Chapter and a good friend of mine. French Chapter is known to having a more diverse recruits than Belgrave which means they don’t just stick to recruiting students. I asked him a favor of putting you a part of his chapter’s disciple. The Council rarely monitors France anyway so they won’t know”, she explained.

Hamish hummed.

“Is he like…a former boyfriend or something?” he asked.

Vera scoffed and looked offended.

“Hamish, please! Ew! Maynard is sixty! He’s like a godfather to me!” she exclaimed.

Suddenly, he felt embarrassed by his irrational jealousy. Maybe, French language is really a sensual one even when one is just ordering pizza.

“Sorry, it’s just that, you looked so sweet while talking on the phone and I couldn’t understand a word you were saying so…” he apologized.

Vera understood what he was trying to say and she just did tell him she was talking to a man earlier.

“…about that, if you’re going to be a disciple from France, you need to speak the language”, she put her hand on his temple and uttered a spell, “tu es si bien au lit”, she said.

“je suis content que tu apprécies mes compétences”, a gasped escaped his mouth after saying those words, “Vera, I can understand you speaking French. Hell, I can speak French! How?” he asked in disbelief.

She smirked.

“A simple spell…don’t worry it’s not damaging or anything. It’s just one of the perks of being a practitioner. Now, you can play the part of a French import. The story is you’re recruited in France. You were a tourist during that time. Now, you moved here and Maynard let me know that you’re to be transferred to our chapter to continue your studies as practitioner”, she answered.

It’s a solid one. Maynard is already processing the paperwork of his ‘recruitment’ as they speak.

“Wow…I think I can do that. I like French culture anyway”, he replied.

She laughed. She knows he does. A thought suddenly occurred to her.

“Hamish…I think you already know by now that my world is not all unicorns and happy magic. You’re a part of it now too”, she muttered.

“I know that. It’s why I want to be a part of it. For years, you have shouldered this massive responsibility on your own. I cannot even begin to imagine the dangers you have faced alone since then because what happened to you last night would have put anyone to shock but you…you seemed so used to it which tells me it’s not the first time someone tried to kill you. You’re not alone this time. I am here. I know you can take care of yourself but I want to protect you too and I know I can do it. If not for your sake, then for my own sanity”, he replied.

He cannot imagine how it’s going to be like knowing she’s out there probably facing more like that man from last night and he cannot go to her because no one can know that he knows about the Order and that she broke the rules for him. It will drive him mad.

“Well, you’re a part of it now. There’s no really turning back”, she said.

He chuckled.

“I guess I am. Go easy on me on the magic though. I’m a newbie”, he commented.

She glanced over the clock on the wall. She’s to stay put for 24 hours even though she’s itching to interrogate that man down the basement of the Temple.

“You know what, I got 24 hours of free time. Why don’t we use it to teach you some basic spells? I mean, you got recruited in France. You must know a few if you’re going to play the part well”, she suggested.

He would be lying if he says he’s not nervous. He knows he’s brilliant and can pick up things easily but this is Vera’s domain. What if he fails and she gets disappointed at him?

“Promise me you will not get mad when I screw up?” he asked.

She laughed hard at that plea.

“Hamish…why would I be mad? Teaching magic is what I do. I have seen a lot of disciples screwed up on their first tries. Believe me, I’ve seen worse. Besides, when I was starting up, I almost blew up my instructor so I don’t think it can get worse than that”, she answered.

He swallowed. She almost blew up her instructor? What kind of magic is she going to teach him?

\-----------------------------------

The two settled at her backyard. Vera carefully placed a barrier around just to protect the woods in case something goes wrong. It will also keep them safe from attracting attention from the outside. Belgrave’s got a lot of joggers around the woods and she does not want to risk anyone poking their noses in her business at her own home.

“Alright, let’s start with the basic”, she placed an empty glass on top of the garden table, “Filling Incantation allows you to refill any container of your desire with any liquid you want”,

“Really? That’s cool. It’s like unlimited cocktail”, he blurted out which earned him a glare, “Sorry”,

“Now, the most important rule of magic that you need to learn and understand and always remember: magic always comes with a price. Every spell, every magic we do requires sacrifice. Most common is blood sacrifice”, she handed him a small knife, “To do this incantation, you need to cut open your palm, focus your energy on this glass while thinking of what liquid you want to fill it and say anaplerosi”, she instructed.

Hamish frowned at the knife but since he is determined to learn and not disappoint Vera, he did as he was instructed. He sliced his palm, winced through the pain, focused on the glass and then, “Anaplerosi”, he casted.

The glass slowly got filled up with a cocktail drink. It’s the drink she always likes. Vera smiled and picked up the glass and took a sip from it.

“Nicely done”, she then walked towards him and grabbed his hand, “For second spell, the Healing Incantation. Now, you don’t need to cut yourself for this. The blood from the injury or the injury itself you’re trying to heal is enough for a sacrifice. All you have to do is put your hand over the injured area of the body, concentrate on your desire to heal it, to fix it, and say…restittuatur”, she said.

He watched as her hands glowed covering his injured hand and when she removed them, he found no cut on his palm. It’s healed. It’s like it’s never been there in the first place.

“That’s amazing”, he suddenly recalled something, “That’s how you healed your ribs last night, wasn’t it?” she nodded, “…but, I did not hear you cast any spell”, he realized.

Observant, she thought.

“I’ve been doing this long enough. There are things that I can do that most can’t. You’ll get better in time too”,

She then took the knife from him and cut her own hand. His eyes widened at how quickly and casually she did that to herself.

“Now, it’s your turn. Heal my hand”, she ordered.

The pressure is on. He never wanted to see her hurt like that. Seeing her blood flowing from her flesh made him remember the events of last night and he felt sick.

“Hamish…concentrate on the task at hand. If you’re going to dwell on what happened or your fears, how are you going to help me when I need your help?” she asked, snapping him out of his trance.

She’s right. She might need his help someday to heal her and he cannot do it if he’s fear is getting in the way. He covered her soft hand with his and concentrate.

“Restittuatur”, he muttered and when he opened his eyes to look at her hand, it’s healed.

He found her smiling at him when he looked at her face.

“Impressive, Mr. Duke. You’re a fast learner. We’re going to have so much fun doing magic”, she complimented.

He smiled knowing he did not disappoint her.

“What can I say? I learned from the best”, he replied.

She waved her hand and a few bottles appeared by the wooden bench near the edge of her barrier.

“Ready to learn more?” she asked.

“Always…” he answered.


	9. Interrogation

Twenty-four hours went past quickly. Hamish learned quite a lot of spells because he picked things up quickly and Vera had a blast teaching him. She likes to teach magic to disciples and she particularly enjoys it when the disciple is brilliant. Hamish is that for her. He aced every spell and it does not surprise her. She knows he is a smart man. Her decision to agree to what he wants may bite her in the ass in the future but she is certain that he will not stop protecting her and it will be better for him to have other than his skill in combat to defend himself. Whether or not she likes it, he’s now a part of her world.

“So, you’re saying to play it cool? Is that it? The Council does not want to do anything about the attempt on my life?” she asked Kepler over the phone.

Her temper is rising and despite her long patience, Kepler and the Council are testing her limit.

_‘Vera, the Council just simply does not want to disrupt the peace we have for years. There is a treaty between the Sons of Prometheus and the Hermetic Order of the Blue Rose. If we retaliate, that treaty will break’_

“It is already broken, Bitsy! They attacked me in the open!” she exclaimed.

_‘Vera, I know you don’t like this but the decision of the Council is final. Don’t do anything stupid’_

Vera almost threw her phone against the glass wall of her house. The Council just does not want anything to disrupt their comfortable lives using magic for their own good. They don’t care if other members of the Order is in trouble, certainly not when it comes to a scholarship kid like her.

In her haste, she grabbed her coat and her car key. Screw the Council. It’s her life on the line and who knows who else in her chapter. They may not care but she does. She’s not going to let anyone got hurt because she chose to do nothing.

“Midnight stroll?” Hamish’s voice stopped her from reaching the door.

She sighed and turned around to face him.

“There’s just something I need to do. I’ll be back shortly”, she said.

Well, it’s not a lie but it’s completely vague. She’s on her way to the Temple to interrogate the man who tried to kill both of them the other night and she does not want to have him with her to see that side of her.

“Great, then I’ll drive”, he said and approached her.

“Hamish…” she sighed deeply again, “I can handle this. Nothing is going to happen to me”, she resisted but when he reached out his hand to her with palm waiting for the car key, she knows there’s no way she can leave the house without putting him under a spell and that will be damaging for their relationship. “Fine”, so she yielded.

\-----------------------------------

Hamish could not help his eyes but wander when they got in the Temple. He watched her turned on lights and open doors with a wave of her hand. Somehow, being in the Temple made her more comfortable to use magic even when he’s around. He’s in her playing field, in her own kingdom. In there, she’s the queen and he’s her willing servant.

“Okay, care to tell me why you want to be here before the sun rises?” he finally asked.

He waited while they were in the car but she kept her mouth shut the entire duration of the drive so he decided to wait some more but it’s clear she’s not going to tell him herself without a push.

“Kepler called earlier and the Council does not want to do anything about the attack. Apparently, they don’t want to disrupt the treaty between the Order and the Prometheans which is already broken considering they tried to kill me so, I have the failed assassin in the basement of my Temple, and the Council is not here. I’m going to get answers”, she answered.

He noted the strength in her voice, her words. This is the Temple Magus side of Vera Stone, one that commandeers respect from others.

“Very well, lead the way”, he encouraged.

\-----------------------------------

The man was on a chair chained on it when they arrived. He looked pale, covered in dried blood. His beaten-up face made him barely recognizable. The past 24 hours made the damage Hamish had cost him more noticeable. Vera felt Hamish tensed at the sight of him. It’s not shock that he was the one who did that to the man but it was rage. She can feel his anger and if the man says wrong word, she’s certain Hamish will finish him off.

“You tried to kill me the other night. I want to know why”, she said to the man.

He groaned before attempting to smirk but his broken jaw made it impossible.

“…and you, you…expect me…to confess?” the man struggled to ask.

The smugness in his voice vanquished what’s left of her empathy for his situation. He surely does not repent on what he tried to do.

“Actually, I don’t expect you to do that. That would be disappointing considering the entire trait of the Sons of Prometheus is loyalty. Tell me, is Xavier listening to us right now?” the man glared at her. “Oh yes, I know all about your mind hive thing. I personally found it violating but if it is what works for you, I could care less. What I do care about is you trying to kill me and my boyfriend so, it’s either you tell me why or I will take the answer out of you and I promise you, it’s not going to be pleasant”, she laid out.

Hamish felt a shiver down his spine. This is the side of her he never had a glimpse before. The way she delivered those words was so cold he felt the frostbite from it. Without looking at her eyes, he believes that she can get her answers from him in a painful manner.

“You don’t…scare me, witch! I am…not afraid…of you, or your little tricks…” he said between his teeth.

Vera clasped her hands and smiled.

“…but you really should be”, she replied before spatting Latin spell that made the man screamed in agony.

Hamish never knew a man could scream like that. In his years of training to hurt people, he had never seen or heard anyone scream in pain like him. After a minute, it stopped.

“You see, since you’re linked with your brothers and sisters at your compound, whatever I do to your mind, happens to them. Every inch of pain you’re feeling right now, they feel it too and they’re powerless to stop it, not while we’re down here. So, I can just keep doing this until Xavier tells you to spill it out or you will do it on your own accord if you truly value their sanity”, she began again and the man continued to scream in excruciating pain.

“Alright! Alright!” Vera stopped, “I will tell you everything…just, stop hurting them…”

“I am listening”, she urges.

The man pants, catching his breath.

“A faction…we don’t know what yet, has been reported to collect all parts of the Vade Maecum Infernal”, Hamish saw her suddenly stiffened, “They intend to use it and we saw this as an opportunity to have the book. If they have managed to rebuild it, we can just take it from them”, he started talking.

Vera collected herself before finding her words.

“So, what? You take the grimoire and Xavier is just to execute his first-born to bond with it to gain more power? That’s lovely but you forget one thing, he does not have a child to sacrifice”, she pointed out.

Without the sacrifice, the book is just another spell book.

“No, that’s where you come in. We know you’re in possession of the one incantation that will allow us to bypass that sacrifice. I was ordered to take it from you. Him, your boyfriend, was supposed to be hostage while you get it for us but as you can see, things did not go as planned”, he explained.

So, they found a loophole, a pricey one in fact.

“Xavier is willing to use that incantation, sentenced himself to die only to use the Vade Maecum for short period of time? Is it really that worth it?” she asked.

She never understood the others’ hunger for power. Is the ability to use magic not enough?

“Bonding with the Vade Maecum Infernal allowed you to do anything under the sun, including ridding of the side effect of that incantation”, the man answered.

Clever…too clever, but still, like everything else, it comes with a price and she knows Xavier knows it too.

“I bet he did not tell you everything about his plan, huh. Is it the end of it? He used the incantation, bond with the book, heal himself and it’s all done? Go ahead, take a peek inside his mind. You’ll see there’s something he forgot to tell you”, she said.

The man frowned at her but she saw that he did as told. His gaze went inward, searching before a gasp was torn out of his mouth.

“…your humanity…you’ll lose your humanity”, she knows he is not talking to her or to Hamish.

Meanwhile, Hamish, despite not understanding what’s going on, he sensed that whatever that book is, it’s too dangerous. Her body language says it all.

“For a hive mind, you’re not as transparent as thought to be”, she inhaled deeply before kneeling in front of the man. Hamish almost grabbed her arm to stop her but fought against his impulse while reminding himself that he needs to trust her. “Thank you for telling me all of these and for being a loyal brother to the Prometheans”,

Hamish saw her hands landed on the man’s laps.

“Restittuatur”, she casted and both her hands glowed brightly.

All of the man’s injuries faded away in less than a minute.

“What are you doing?” Hamish asked in surprise.

“He’s done what I asked. He’s free to go”, she answered.

“What? Did you forget he tried to kill you?” he exclaimed.

Why would she let him go?

“He’s not going to remember all of that and this too”, Vera cupped the man’s head, “ego interficiam te necessitudines”, she casted and the connection was broken.

She stood up, removed the chains with a wave of her hand and the man rose.

“What happened? What did you do? I couldn’t feel them anymore”, the man asked in confusion.

“I cut you off from the hive mind. It does not serve you well anyway. Besides, if I make you forget, those people must be out of your mind or else, they will lose their memories too. Now, we don’t want that to happen, do we?” the man shakes his head, “Good. Don’t worry, I will not take much”,

She blew a white powder on his face and he fell on the floor. Vera leaned towards his ear and whispered something Hamish couldn’t hear before she waved her hand again and the man disappeared.

“Alright, what just happened?” he asked.

“He simply understood his choices. It’s either I erase his memories or I kill him. I chose to let him live because I don’t believe much in killing, not in his case. He’s just a soldier following orders and he has a heart despite of it. He cares for his brothers and sisters in their organization. That’s loyalty which was not rewarded with full truth. He does not deserve to serve Xavier so I freed him”, she answered confidently.

He pressed the bridge of his nose while thinking.

“Okay, I know I am new but to be able to understand all of this, I need to know the entire story”, he demanded.

He wants to understand but he cannot do that if he’s not aware to every detail.

Vera knew he’s going to have a lot of questions about her world, she did not just expect it to be so soon.

“I will tell you everything but right now, I need to make a phone call”, she took out her phone from her pocket and stepped back.

“Who are you calling? The Council?” he asked.

“No. I’m calling my brother”, she answered.


	10. Brother

Hamish watched as Vera paced back and forth in her office as she talked with someone over the phone.

“I get that…well, what would you have me do?” she exclaimed.

He is guessing that she’s talking to her brother although in their time together, she never mentioned of having a sibling, not that it bothers him much. Maybe there’s just a lot of things he does not know about her. No matter. He’s willing to learn it all even if it takes him forever.

“Fine. I’ll be here and please, do not bring Kepler or I swear to you I will rip her throat out when I see her”, she ended the call and turned to a very clueless Hamish. “Sorry, I did not mean for you to hear my ranting”, she muttered.

“It’s alright. You’re on the edge. I am too but you know more of the threat you’re facing. All I am aware is there’s a powerful book out there some people want to piece together and some people want to get some incantation from you”, he responded.

Vera sighed. When she agreed to his idea to be part of the Order, she did not anticipate that the problem is this big. If it’s all about petty secret society rivalry, she wouldn’t mind it very much but they’re talking about Vade Maecum Infernal and Fors Factoram Incantation. It’s two powerful incantations she never once dreamt of using in the same sentence and yet the day has come. The others found a loophole to the sacrifice of bonding with the Vade Maecum. No one has to kill their first-born child anymore. All they have to do is sentence themselves to death, hope to God they find the grimoire and bond with it so they can heal themselves before the incantation claim their lives.

“I am sorry for getting you involved in this world, Hamish. It’s much more dangerous than I thought it would be for you”, she sat next to him on the sofa, “Long time ago, a powerful grimoire was created. It housed the most powerful spells in the world but that’s not the best part or worst of it. Bonding yourself to the book will allow you free access to magic. It will grant you unlimited power to do whatever your heart desires. You can end your enemies with a flick of your finger, heal the sick, flatten a mountain or destroy the world. Just like any other spells, it requires a sacrifice…”

“…the life of the practitioner’s first-born child”, Hamish supplied.

“Yes…it prevented a lot of those who desired its power but not all of them. Some of the Order’s members knew that more lives will be lost because of the Vade Maecum so they ripped the book apart and tasked each prominent bloodline of the Order to hide them so no one would be able to bond with it. For years, the book has remained a myth. No one has seen it. No one has found it. Well…maybe until now”, she confirmed.

His hand landed on hers subconsciously.

“The man mentioned an incantation that they need from you in order to bypass the sacrifice. What is it?” he asked.

Vera breathed in deep.

“It’s called the Fors Factoram Incantation, another powerful incantation created by the first group of disciples of the Order. It allows the practitioner to use magic freely without limitation of sacrifice, kind of like what happens when one bonded with the Vade Maecum. The catch is the incantation turns the practitioner into the sacrifice. Each big spell costs a fraction of your life until one day, you just ran out of it and die”, she answered.

Hamish pieced all the information in his brain.

“So, if they got the Vade Maecum and they have taken the Fors Factoram from you, they will perform the incantation first and then use it to bond with the grimoire without any sacrifice. Then, before the incantation kills them, they use the power from the Vade Maecum to heal themselves…is that it?” he asked again.

“Pretty much…add the losing the practitioner’s humanity part in the end though. You cannot bargain with the devil without losing that. That’s what happen when one is consume with power. The light just dies”, she answered.

All magic comes with a price, he recalls their lesson. Even if one thought he found a workaround it, there’s always a catch. He looked at her and found the burden that is on her shoulders.

“They’re going to come after you because of the Fors Factoram. If not the Prometheans, the faction the guy was talking about will. You need to dispose that incantation or give it to someone else”, he suggested.

She smiled sadly at him and shook her head.

“I cannot do that, Hamish. It is my job to guard that particular incantation. I was tasked to protect it not just from the outside but also from the inside. You see, that incantation is a big temptation for everyone including the members of the Order. If they find out it is possible to use magic without sacrifice, without consequence, they will want to do it despite the price. I am its guardian”, she refused.

Hamish fears grew fast. With that incantation in her possession plus the fact that the others know it’s with her, she got a massive target on her back.

“What do we do?” he asked in desperation.

There must be something…anything.

“Well, I have called my brother and he’s on his way here. The decision will be his”, she answered.

\----------------------------------

Vera grew restless by the hour. She knew Hamish is gravely concerned for her safety and she can understand that but she also fears for his. The Prometheans is aware of her relationship with him and they tried to use it as bargaining chip for her to give up the incantation. Who knows what else they’re going to do to force her hand? His life is in danger too.

They stayed at the temple until the sun has shone. She had informed everyone to stay off the Temple for the day, calling it Temple off-duty which made the kids happy. In truth, she needs them out just in case something or someone storms the place. Besides, they cannot find out what the dilemma is yet not until she got a solution for it. It’s not worth risking a panic among the students.

She had let Hamish browsed through her reliquary so he can study magic while waiting. It serves him well to be well-informed and armed. He will need it.

“Vera”, her eyes darted towards the door, “Please tell me you did not tear that man to shreds”,

She felt Hamish’s guard went up fast.

“I got better control of myself than you give me credit for…brother”, she replied as she got up from her chair and met him with an embrace.

Hamish relaxed upon hearing her call the man her brother.

“Aren’t you going to introduce us?” the man asked.

She pulled away from him and turned to Hamish.

“This is Hamish Duke, disciple transferee from France. Hamish, this is my brother, Edward Coventry…he’s also the Grand Magus of the Hermetic Order of the Blue Rose”, she introduced them.

Edward offered his hand first which Hamish took politely.

“Maynard’s recruit…French Chapter really has an odd taste but then again…my sister has one as well”, he joked.

“Ed!”

“Sorry…I was kidding, but if you hurt her, I wouldn’t even need to lay a finger on you to rip you apart”, he threatened.

Vera rolled her eyes around.

“Oh, for god’s sake! If we can be done with this creepy over-protective brother thing, may we get down to business?” she protested.

Despite the threat, Hamish found their relationship amusing. Edward saw him smirked while holding back a laugh and he knew that her brother is okay with the two of them being together. He just like teasing.

“Okay, hit me Vee”, he agreed.

Vera proceeded in telling Edward everything that happened starting from the night of the attack down to what the guy has told them about Xavier’s plan.

“This faction he was talking about, does it have a name?” she shook her head, “No one has seen that evil book in ages, Vee. Talk like this will get people work up and it will get some pretty hungry for power. This is bad…”

She scoffed.

“You think so? Try having target on your back”, she muttered.

“Don’t worry about that incantation. Father cloaked it before he gave it to you. They’re not going to be able to know where it is. They don’t even have proof that it’s under your possession”, Edward explained.

Hamish came back with drinks for the three of them which they all appreciated.

“Yeah, well…it will not stop them from testing their theory and they don’t need to locate it with a spell. All they have to do is come after me and force my hand to give it up”, she pointed out.

Edward took a sip.

“Everyone knows you’re stubborn. They should know better than to blackmail you. Nothing will work”, her eyes darted towards Hamish then back to him again, “Oh, right…that is a problem. Guess, that’s the end of our years of treaty with the Sons of Prometheus. To be fair, I never liked Xavier and I will have a field day making him scream”, Edward replied.

Hamish watched the two came to an understanding but he’s been holding off an idea that came to his mind while reading earlier.

“I have a suggestion”, the two turned to him, “You identified one enemy which is Xavier and the Prometheans but what about the other? The faction that was rumored to be collecting the Vade Maecum? Who’s to say they don’t know about Vera keeping the Fors Factoram? We need to find them as well and make sure they will not complete the book if they haven’t already…”

“I am waiting for the plan”, Edward urges.

“Xavier…the guy he sent to kill us didn’t know the name of the faction but clearly, Xavier does. I mean, how does he intend to take the complete grimoire from them if he does not know who he’s coming after? He must have known about that faction and since Prometheans are hive mind, we don’t need to kidnap Xavier himself to get the information we need. We only need one of them, do some spells and search his mind like encyclopedia”, Hamish proposed.

Vera smiled before pursing her lips to look at Edward who seems very impressed at the new disciple. He then turned to Vera.

“…not bad, Vee. I think I’m going to like this one”, he muttered.

\------------------------------------

As Edward set out to grab one Promethean, Hamish helped Vera prepare the ritual room for the spell.

“So…your brother is the Grand Magus of the Order?” he asked curiously.

She smiled before shrugging.

“Apparently so…we found out after I joined the Order. There’s just that connection. After the initiation, one develops a link to other disciples. It’s minute to the point that most couldn’t feel it but I felt it the moment I was proclaimed as an official member of the Order. Edward felt it too and so did our father”,

Vera flicked her wrist and all of the candles lit up in flames.

“Our father attended a convention in Washington once and ran into my mother. They had a fling and it resulted in my existence. My mother lied to my ‘father’ and told him I was his. When my real father performed a blood spell to confirm his suspicion, well…it’s a match. I’m the bastard daughter of the great Orion Coventry”, she answered.

“Don’t reduce yourself, Vera”, he muttered which made her blushed.

“It’s fine, Hamish. What the others think of me does not really bother me at all. Besides, Edward was okay with it as you can see. Orion asked me once to change my last name but I refused. He and Edward acknowledging my existence was enough. That’s good enough for me”, she added.

“You’re too good for this world, Vera, but I am so glad you’re in it. You make it so much better”, he said.

“That she is!” startled, they both turned to see Edward by the door with an unconscious lady over his shoulder, “Resume the cuddling part later, we got a hive mind to poke into”, he announced.


	11. Control

Edward has begun his spell while Vera and Hamish linked their magic to his to be able to break through the hive minds of the Prometheans. They have no idea how and where Edward got the lady member lying on the altar table right now but they have more pressing matters to be concerned about which is the identity of the faction leading the hunt for the Vade Maecum. It’s imperative they discover who they are because sooner rather than later, they will knock on Vera’s front door to get the Fors Factoram from her.

“Whatever happens, do not let go and break the connection. Otherwise, you will get lost inside the consciousness of the Prometheans”, Edward instructed.

Vera tightened her grip on Hamish’s hand which made Edward roll his eyes in amusement.

“Knock it off. Let’s get this over with”, she deadpanned.

Edward chuckled before starting the incantation.

Hamish felt the magic rushing from him to Vera and to himself. Their collective power allowed them to penetrate the unconscious lady’s brain then straight to the minds of the Prometheans. Once they’re in, they immediately started searching for Xavier’s which was not that hard to find considering his is the most colorful of them all. One reason for it is that he’s got a lot more experience than them when it comes to magic and well…he just got a lot of skeletons in his closet.

Edward recited the last bit of the spell and they pierced Xavier’s brain.

\------------------------------------

It’s the middle of the Norwich forest. Xavier and his brothers and sisters were out collecting rare herbs that grew wildly in the woods. They intend to plant it in their compound, hoping to add it in their plantation. Suddenly, a flash of red light went past Xavier and hit one of his members.

 _“Take cover!”_ someone yelled in his brain, but Xavier is not one to back down from a fight.

He stood his ground and used his vast knowledge in magic to fight and defend his people. Eventually, he was able to knock down two mysterious attackers.

“Who are they?”

“I have no idea”, Xavier answered.

“My bet is that they’re members of the Order”, another man concluded.

Xavier shook his head.

“No. They will not risk breaking the treaty, not now after years of peace between us. Besides, Vera Stone will never send her disciples to be murdered. She nurtures her students, not turn them into soldiers”, he disagreed.

“Well then, who the hell are they?” a woman asked.

Xavier knelt before them and brushed his hands over their heads.

“Let’s find out. Shall we?” he invited.

The others joined him as they forced a purple liquid into the mouths of the two attackers and suddenly, they’re in their heads.

They saw flashes of large group of people convening in a place they don’t know where. They saw them discussing the plan in completing the mythical grimoire that has eluded everyone for ages. It was probably a hoax, a way to keep more followers but when their leader revealed to them a portion of the said grimoire, they knew it’s real.

 _‘…one more piece and we will no longer need to hide in the shadows and be afraid of those who hoard magic for themselves, for their own greed and self-satisfaction! Soon, we will rid this world of those who dare to deprive us of what we deserve. We will free magic for everyone because it is our right to have it!’_ their leader declared.

Xavier and the others pulled back from the minds of the two fellas on the ground and they all realized what they have seen as an opportunity to gain that power for themselves, for their own organization.

_‘Xavier…but the myth described a sacrifice that even you cannot pay’_

_‘I don’t need to worry about that. There’s a loophole to that sacrifice, a simple incantation which happens to be in the possession of our neighbor society’_

_‘The Hermetic Order of the Blue Rose?’_

_‘…not exactly in all of them. Vera Stone. She’s guarding the incantation we needed. Get that from her and we will be ready once they completed piecing the book together, we will take it from them and use it to better protect ourselves’_

_‘…but who are they, Xavier? Who are those people trying to complete the Vade Maecum?’_

_‘They’re called the Praxis’_

\-------------------------------------

Edward broke the spell and they’re back in the real world, in their own minds.

“Praxis…” Vera repeated.

“I’ve never heard of that group before but they do sound like a bunch of radicals dreaming about a magical utopia. You know how that will end”, Edward muttered.

Vera cringed at the thought.

“What? What would happen if the world receives free access to magic?” Hamish asked.

“Free access? Well, that’s the biggest lie already. You see, nothing in magic is free. Everything has a price even if those people think there’s none. Yes, you can use magic without sacrifice. Your spell will still work but there’s always a consequence. It will start as little things. People tripping over, stepping on toes, car accidents…then eruptions…” Edward answered.

Hamish frowned.

“There’s this thing called Tartarus eruption. It happens when more and more practitioner recklessly used magic without sacrifice. They create imbalance and that imbalance resulted to an unchecked energy forming in the sky. The more people use magic that way, the bigger the eruption gets until it’s big enough to actually destroy the world”, Vera added.

That would explain the strictness about the sacrifice but…  
“…maybe they don’t know about that”, he said optimistically.

Edward chuckled.

“Sure. They waved around a portion of the Vade Maecum Infernal and yet they don’t know about the eruption? I’m certain that they do. They just don’t care”, he paused and turned to Vera, “You need to get out of here”, he said.

“What? What are you talking about?” she asked.

“Xavier knows that you’re guarding the Fors Factoram. Maybe the Praxis knows that too. Like you said, you have a target on your back. You need to leave Norwich”, Edward answered.

Vera shook her head.

“No. I am not leaving, Ed. I am Temple Magus of Belgrave. I can’t just leave my disciples here defenseless!” she refused.

As a leader, Hamish can understand where Vera is coming from but he also sides with Edward because he also wants her to be safe.

“…and I am the Grand Magus and I am ordering you to take a vacation!” Edward fought back.

Vera pursed her lips and shot daggers on his way.

“You cannot make me abandon them, Ed. I will not do that”, she insisted.

“So, you’re disobeying your Grand Magus now, Chancellor Stone?” Edward used his Grand Magus tone on his sister.

It made her arched her eyebrow at him, taking it as a challenge.

“Don’t push me, brother. You know how much I hate people trying to dictate my life”, she warned.

Suddenly, Hamish felt this not the usual siblings’ argument anymore. She’s looking at her brother like she’s ready to murder him.

“Vera…” Edward cautioned but he immediately flew back and hit the wall.

“Vera!” Hamish called in surprise.

“I said no, Edward. That’s final”, she repeated.

Edward got back on his feet and uttered inaudible spell and did the same to Vera.

“Guys, seriously! That’s enough…”

Vera quickly bounced back and fired multiple spells on Edward which put her brother on the defensive. In the heat of the moment and in complete desperation to make them stop, Hamish found himself rushing in the line of fire.

He felt the intense burning sensation landed on his chest before his back connected on the unforgiving floor.

Vera stood there, completely frozen after realizing what she just did. Edward quickly rushed to Hamish’s side and healed him before glancing up to his shocked sister.

“He’s going to be fine, Vee. He’s okay”, he reassured her but it’s too late.

It’s already in her head. The look on Hamish’s face when one of her spells hit him engraved in her mind. She saw the pain as it registered in his eyes before he fell. She had hurt him with her magic. It was not Xavier or the Prometheans or Praxis for the matter who caused him pain. It was her, all because she lost control. In her trance, she had not realized she’s already having a panic attack until Edward’s hands landed on her shoulders and shook her out of it.

“Vera!” he yelled at her face.

“I hurt him…” she muttered in horror.

“He’s going to be fine. Keep your breathing under control”, he said.

Tears are threatening to fall from her eyes as she searched for Hamish on the floor but Edward blocked her sight. He remained to do so until she was able to breathe regularly. When he was certain she’s calm, he moved away from her so she can go to Hamish.

“Hey…” Hamish said as soon as he was able to open his eyes and found her eyes filled with immense guilt.

“I’m sorry, Hamish. I did not mean to hurt you”, she apologized.

“It’s okay. I know you did not”, he said.

“Can you get up?” she asked and he nodded.

She had helped him get back on his feet before Edward asked them to go home for now. He promised to take care of the Temple for the day to give them time to rest.

\------------------------------------

Hamish never expected that it will hurt that bad being hit by a spell but he should know better than to get in the way of her spell. She’s very good in her magic to begin with. The entire drive, she was quiet. He knows no matter how much he tries to make her feel better, she’s still beating herself up for what happened. It was his fault. He told her that. He got in the way. He knew what’s happening and he threw himself in the middle.

Vera wouldn’t even look at him when they arrived at the house and Hamish had enough.

“Okay, Vera will you please look at me”, she paused cleaning the already cleaned sink and turned to him with wide eyes, “stop blaming yourself. I don’t blame you and I know what happened is my fault. How many times do you want me to say it?” he asked.

“You don’t understand. I lost control”,

“You got angry at your brother for trying to send you away. I get it—”

“No, you don’t. It’s not the first time I lost it. Edward knows this and so did our father. I know I look like someone who got mastery of control over her magic but I don’t. I feel like I’m about to fall apart most of the time and every day is a struggle to contain this dam of power in me from breaking. Father said it’s normal. I grew up away from magic, had no proper introduction to it as a kid so I’m bound to have this outburst every now and then but it got worse especially when I’m distressed or having panic attacks. Earlier, I lost control and I did not just almost kill you. I also almost killed my brother”, she explained.

“…but you did not which means you have more control of yourself than you give yourself credit for. If it worries you that someday you will completely lost it, I can help you getting better control of yourself…if you’ll let me to”, he offered.

At this point, she’s willing to try everything.

“Yes, I would love that very much”, she accepted.

**Author's Note:**

> any thoughts so far?


End file.
